


The Twelfth of Never

by BrownSugarC



Category: NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: Accidents, Children, F/M, Memory Loss, Separations, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-03 11:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17283227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownSugarC/pseuds/BrownSugarC
Summary: We all saw that spark between Sonja Percy and Agent Chris LaSalle on the levy and the ‘kiss less’ goodbye at the NCIS New Orleans office.  There were so many unspoken words.  Neither realized how much they needed each other until fate put a distance between them and destiny allowed them to meet once again.





	1. Trepidation

“Hello Sonja.”

“Hello, do I know you?”

“Yes, I knew you a few years back.  How are you doing today?”

“They tell me that I’m doing okay but I’m still tired.  Actually I guess I was asleep for a long time.  Any way that’s what the doctor told me.”

“So, how do I know you?  What’s your name?”

“My name is Chris.  Christopher LaSalle.  We use to work together in place called New Orleans.”

“I’ve heard of that place before.  The counselor was in here the other day and showed me some pictures of that place.  Wait a minute.  You were in one of those pictures.  It made me laugh.  You had a red dress on.  We were in a big blue car in one.  Then we were walking down the street.  I didn’t know the other people though.”

“So do you see a lot of pictures here?  Did you ever see one of a little girl with curly hair?”

“Hey, yeah I did.  How did you know that?  She was cute.  She had on this red sweat shirt that had Alabama on it.  She was sitting on a guy’s lap with reddish kind of hair.  I think the counselor said his name was Cade.  The little girl was uh, uh, Catherine.  She had blue eyes like her daddy.”

“How would you know that?”

“That’s what the counselor told me.”

“Excuse Mr. LaSalle” the nurse says.  “I need to draw some blood real quick and take her vitals.  You can come back in when I leave.”

“So Chris, how did it go?” 

“She has no idea who I really am.  I guess they showed her some pictures of us in the Red Dress Run and she remembered seeing me in the photos.  She has no inkling that I am her husband or that Catherine is our daughter.”

“I don’t know Merrie.  I don’t know if I can do this.  I love her so much.  I can’t bear to see that vibrant woman just sitting around.  Catherine has missed her considerably.  She’ll be three next month. I left all our photos out.  She will look at them and ask about her mommy.  I try to talk with joy in my voice but I know that she sees right through me.”

“Did I say thank you for being here with me Merrie?  You have done so much for Sonja.  It’s hard being all the way across the country but I am trying to keep a routine for Catherine.  Thank goodness momma came to help me with her. Now that Sonja is awake, they will have to decide if she can fly to New Orleans and be treated there.  She needs physical therapy to work on those muscles that she did not use for five months.”

“So when will they tell her who she is?”

“They are still working on that.  Fortunately now that she is awake, I can take family leave and make better use of that time being here with her.  I don’t have worry about a pay check since I put away some of the money from the LaSalle Oil sale but I really don’t want to leave Catherine for too long of a time period.  Fortunately I can visit her every night on video chat.”

“Okay Mr. LaSalle” the nurse says as she passes by, “you can go back in now”.

“Hello again” I say as I return.

“Hi?  Chris wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Sonja my name is Chris”  I was wondering if I could eat lunch with you.”

“Well, I guess you can but you won’t like the food either.”


	2. Reality Check

_Another bench mark day has come.  After six months, the doctors have recommended a course of treatment.  I was invited to be present as this phase of Sonja’s treatment begins_.

“Well Sonja, we have talked for almost a month now.  I gave you several alternatives.  I asked a mental health expert to share with you your options in memory recovery.  Unfortunately you seem to be in the 20 percent of people who suffer from post-concussion syndrome, where they continue to experience symptoms after six weeks.”

“Unbeknownst to you, the team has been in contact with people who have known you for some time.  This includes your family and your co-workers.  You have also indicated that you want to aggressively seek treatment which coincides with what we have learned about you and your personal and work history.”

“Let’s start with the first day I saw you.  You were brought here because an armored vehicle hit you in your parking ramp.   Evidentially the brakes failed on the truck and struck your car.  You were pretty smashed up and took quite a bump to your head.  You were here for a month before we moved you down the street to what we called a long term care facility.  For some unknown reason you woke up five months later.”

“I see that you keep glancing at the gentleman that I asked to be here with us” the doctor continues.  “Sonja you have met Christopher before. Chris is actually your husband”

“I have a husband?  How long have we been married?”

“Five years?”

“How did I meet him?  I mean you” Sonja asks as she looks directly at me.

“We worked for a law enforcement agency and we became partners” I respond.  “Then you left and we met again a year later at a friend’s wedding.  We talked and realized that we did care about each other and dated long distance for a little over a year

“Before that I bought a new home in the city where I would be closer to the office and the downtown. 

“So did I live with you there?” 

“No we had a long distance marriage.  You had already purchased a condo here in D.C.  You were going to work here for five years then we were going to reassess where we would move together and raise our children.”

“Children?  We have children?”

I have to stop and take a deep breath. “We have little girl named Catherine.  She’s almost three.”

“Wait a minute.  They showed me a picture of a little girl and her name was Catherine.  That’s my daughter” she asked as she looked closely to my face?  “Chris you have blue eyes too don’t you?  The counselor said the little girl had blue eyes like her father.  She has hair like my hair.”

“Yes Sonja she does, I say.  Your mother says she looks just like you when you were a little girl except your eyes are brown.”

At that Sonja starts to cry.  Out of reflex I go to put my arm around her as the counselor holds up her hand to stop me. 

Screw that!  The love of my life is in pain.  No one is going to stop me from holding my wife.  To all of our surprise Sonja melts into my arms like she knew that she belong there.  I begin to sing one of her favorite songs to her and again to my surprise, she begins to sing along with me with that beautiful voice of hers. 

“How do you know that song Sonja?” 

“I don’t know, I just know it.” 

_The closer I get to you, the more you make me see._ _By giving me all you got,  your love has captured me.  Over and over again I tried to tell myself that we   could never be more than friends.  And all the while inside I knew it was real.  The way you make me feel._

Sonja use to sing that song to me after we declared our love for each other.

“Are you crying Chris?”

“I’m afraid so” I respond.  “You use to sing that song to me after we reunited. It touched my heart then and again now to hear you sing it to me”.  We were always able to speak to each other through lyrics.  When we were married, you told me ‘Christopher, you are my song’.  You had found this old song by a singer named Johnny Mathias entitled ‘Until the Twelfth of Never’ and told me that you would love me forever.

“When you would be away from me I would play a song that we had shared.  You can’t use the term that men don’t cry around me since I met you.  I held it inside me when you came back after the whole Tucker episode.  You were right in saying that I didn’t want to talk about it with you that day I picked  you up at the airport,  but I should have.  Now I realize how much you always cared about me even though you refused to let me fully see it.”

I look up see that the doctor and the counselor have slipped out of the room.  About ten minutes later there was a quiet knock on the door.  The staffer asked if we wanted to eat in Sonja’s room or walk down to the cafeteria.  Looking toward Sonja I let her decide.  “I want out of here” she says.  So I find her slippers and we take off for the cafeteria.

Two weeks later we are all surprised at the amount of progress that we have made.  Sonja, however, is starting to get irritated that she is still unaware of things that we talk about.  Her mother came out for a few days with family photos.  I got irritated with her as she did not stick with the planned program and at times pushed Sonja too far too soon.

We came to the place where it was time for Sonja to go home.  Home meant New Orleans.  Sonja’s oldest sister came out to join me at her condo as the movers packed up her belongings.  We picked out two boxes of items to put into Sonja’s bedroom thinking they might jog her memory even more.  We walked through the unit with Sonja the day before the movers arrived.  Talking through the many photos Sonja was able to get an idea of the many countries that she had visited, old friends and business associates.  She strained to remember as she looked through the many photo books of Catherine.  It hurt my heart to realize that she did not remember giving birth to Catherine and the first two years of her life.  I had to leave the room for a while.  Walking down to the parking ramp I found a place where I could weep openly.  After collecting myself, I went back upstairs and resumed my seat next to my wife with her none the wiser.

Flying was challenge as well.  Thank goodness we had government documents to bypass the screening.  Sonja bristled at people touching her after the accident. 

We had decided that Sonja would have her own room, at least temporarily.  It would be her choice if and when she returned to the master bedroom with me.  Tammy and Ms. Loretta went to the house and unpacked all of Sonja’s belongings, made her bed and hung up all of her clothing.  King joined in and hung up photos and pictures unique to her on the walls.  I trusted Tammy to make sure everything was ready for my dear one.

The first day I was at the hospital in D.C. with Sonja, I met a Navy Chaplain.  As he introduced himself, he acknowledged that the NCIS director had asked him to come to assist me in any way possible.  Over the next few days he managed to get our story out of me.  I glossed over the x-rated parts but filled in those blanks in my mind 

I walked through the condo one more time to insure that the movers had taken everything and signed their final documents.  I went the first floor  and sat down in the lobby to wait for the real estate agent who was handling the sale.  Thank goodness we had consulted an attorney in both D.C. and New Orleans to handle our wills.  With our dangerous jobs, we quickly realized how important it was that we took care of the legal aspects of our lives.

While waiting for the agent, I once I again I had the time to think back to our reunion and our life together first as significant others and later husband and wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Retrograde amnesia is the loss of memories that formed before a traumatic head injury.
> 
> As with other cognitive-communication disorders, individualizing treatment approaches is critical to clients' success. Actively involving our TBI clients in treatment strategy decisions will provide them with the metacognitive tools to tackle situations that will arise in the future when the SLP is not present to assist the client.
> 
> Only about 20 percent of people might suffer from post-concussion syndrome, where they continue to experience symptoms after six weeks.


	3. Back to ‘Nola

 “Hey Percy you ready?” Tammy asks

“Yes.  Can you help me with this bracelet?”

“Woah, look at you!  You look like a model.  Who are you really dressed for?” Tammy smirked. 

“What?”  I responded

“Maybe for a guy named Chris LaSalle?”

“Oh give it up Gregorio.  Thanks.  Let’s go.”

The wedding was beautiful.  It is nice to see old friends and acquaintances.  Oh well, here comes the moment that I was dreading

“Hello Christopher” I said with my kindest smile.

“Hello Sonja.  You look beautiful.  I’m not sure that I remembered what your legs looked like.”

“Well, thank you, I think.”

“Can I get you a drink?”

“Sure Chris.”

“So how is everything going for you Sonja?”  He asked as he returns with my drink.  “I thought I might hear something from you.”  Chris says.

Oh crap, look at those blue eyes I think as I fidget.  “I didn’t know if you would want to hear from me given how I kind of ran out on you all.”

“Sonja we were partners, friends.  Of course I would have wanted to know how you were doing.”

The more we talked, the more comfortable the conversation became.  I had forgotten how LaSalle could be both serious and humorous at the same time.  Tammy caught my eye and I looked around to see that there was only a handful of guest left.  “Looks like I’m being paged” I said. 

“So do you think you might make your way over to King’s bar. LaSalle asks.

“I might be able to late tonight” I say.  “Bye Chris” I say as he hugs me. 

“So long Sonja” he responds.

“So how did that go?”  Tammy asks. 

“He asked if I was going to be at Pride’s bar.  Maybe after we have dinner.” Tammy says.

_Later at the condo_

“That smells good Tammy.  You must have been practicing while I was gone.” 

“Just a little.”

“What’s wrong you look like you lost something.  Yeah, I needed some lettuce.  Let me run around the corner real quick.  I’ll be right back.  The chicken has about 30 more minutes to cook.  The timer is on.”

About ten minutes later there’s a knock at the door

“What?  Did you forget your key” I asked as I open the door.

To my surprise there stood Chris LaSalle.

“Hey Sonja?  I was looking for Tammy.” 

“She ran to the store I replied.  I wonder why this envelope is on the door with your name on it?”

Chris opens the envelope and reads the enclosed note out loud. 

“Dear Mouse Twins.  You need to talk.  Enjoy your dinner”.  It was signed by Tammy.

“Well, it looks like we’ve been had” Chris responds.  “What does she have to drink?” 

“She baked a chicken so I guess the _Chardonnay_ would work unless you want a beer.”

“I’ll start with a beer” he responds.

“Hey, the sound system is over there.” I say as I point across the room.  Chris found an old Nat King Cole CD and put in on to play.

Dinner was quiet.  We continually snuck shy looks at each like two school kids.

I rinsed the dishes off and turned to find Chris in my space.  We were both uncomfortable and embarrassed he spoke first.  “This is me.  The same man who sat by you for two years in my truck.”

“I know Chris but the closer I got to New Orleans the more I found that I wanted to turn around and fly back to D.C.”

“I missed you Sonja” he says not moving an inch. 

I managed to mumble out “I missed you too Chris.”

At that he takes my hand and guides me to the front room.  “Dance with me?”

“Sure.”  There surrounded by the crooning of Nat King Cole we danced.  I can’t even say for how long.  For the second time in my life I just melted into the arms of Christopher LaSalle.

Later we sat and talked.  The noise outside the condo grew quieter.  The next thing I remember is hearing water.  I woke up to find myself lying across Christopher’s lap on the sofa.  I tried to move his hand off my shoulder only to succeed in waking him up.

“I guess we fell asleep” I said.

“I guess so.  He replied.  “Hey I’m going to leave.  Did I hear you say that you were flying out tonight?  Why don’t you let me drop you at the airport?”

“That sounds good.  My flight leaves at 8 p.m.”

“Why don’t I pick you up at 4:00 and we can go eat dinner on the way to the airport?

“That sounds fine.  Bye Chris.”  He leans over to kiss me on cheek and for some reason my mind went back to the last time he left me standing alone in a room.

After a quick shower I repacked my bags and called the car service.  There were several old friends that I wanted to check in with.  LaSalle was waiting in the condo when I got back with just minutes to spare.

“Hope you haven’t been here long” I said as I stepped back into my old bedroom.

“No, I just sat down” Chris replied.

I decided to change my shoes and then proceed to lock my bag.

I hugged Tammy’s neck and then turn around and said “I’m ready Chris” as I pull my suitcase to the front door.

“Is there any place special that you want to eat” he asked as he takes my suitcase?

“How about Trilly Cheesesteaks, we can both eat there” I respond.  

The conversation flowed much better this time.  In fact there was a lot of laughter as we recounted some of our old missions, experiences and colorful individuals that we had encountered in our time as partners.  After eating we found our way to Malcom X park where the conversation became a little more intimate.

“So are you happy Percy?” 

“Well, I’m busy.  The job is exciting. I have been able to make a few new friends.  I enjoy going to the football games and concerts.  I spend a lot of evenings at Howard University events.”

“But are you happy Sonja?  You didn’t answer that question.”

“As much as I can be I guess” I respond.

Quietly I hear the words that I really didn’t want to hear.  “I miss you Percy.  I miss your smile, your warped sense of humor, your spot on comments, your fussing with Tammy.  I miss your quiet, thoughtful comments.  So do you have regrets Sonja?”

“About what?”

“About us?”

“Us?”

“I was never going to tell you that I didn’t want you to leave.”

“So why are you saying it now?”

“Because it’s true.  Triple P cautioned me to let you go.  He said that you needed to find your own way. So I simply hugged you and held onto my tears and let you walk away.”

I found myself moving a few inches over until our thighs were touching.  Then I felt Chris put his arm around me.  We sat there for a long time in silence.  While my mouth was not moving my brain was engaged.  This was stupid Percy I thought.  I shouldn’t have come.  How could I not know that this was a big mistake?

We walked back to Chris’ truck hand in hand still in silence.  Once at the airport, I checked my bag and then walked over to the security desk to check in my weapon.  There I was met by an airline security officer.  Agent Percy we are short an air marshal on this flight.  Would you mind keeping your weapon with you just in case.”  “Sure” I replied.  The agreement came with an upgrade to a first class seat.

I ended up being the last one to board.  As we stood off to the side, Chris leaned in to kiss me this time on the lips.  We had already decided that I would take a look at my schedule and see when it would possible for him to come to D. C.  I had my doubts but I rarely let my head overrule my heart.  As I sat on the tarmac with the tears flowing, I was wondering what in the world I was thinking to agree to him coming.  I saw one of the flight attendants give me a “what the hell” look.  He certainly was doubting if I was the right person identified as the federal agent with the mascara running down my face.

 


	4. Finding Our Way

We video chatted every night that Chris wasn’t in the field or that I was in Country.  Every once in a while he was in the office which gave me the chance to talk to Tammy and Triple P as well.  He was growing on me.  That first overseas operation made me want to reconsider the relationship or whatever it was called.  I found my mind wandering when I should be focusing on my mission.

We sat a date for Chris to fly out to D.C.  It would be the same weekend as the United States Marine Corps Birthday Ball.

Chris flew in late Thursday night.  I was hoping that it didn’t snow so we could get out and do some tourist things on Friday.  We ended up going to the National Air and Space Museum followed by dinner at the DC Harvest in Union Station. 

We were both wore out when we got back.  We took showers and chomped down on popcorn as we watched a movie.  Chris pulled me into his lap when I came back from checking my phone for messages.  It seemed like I belong there.  The make out session escalated a little too fast and I pulled myself away to get a handle on what was going on.

I was asleep five minutes after my head hit my pillow but then woke up from a dream where Chris had rescued me from some villain in New Orleans.  In the dream we ended up at his house on the water where he taught me a few new things.  I woke up panting and not quite sure if I was disappointed that it was only a dream.

“What Sonja?”  Chris asked me as gave him a few side glances that morning. 

“Oh nothing” I replied.  “I just had an interesting dream with you in it.”

“Well if I was in it, it couldn’t be anything but interesting.”

We dressed to go down the police station and workout.  I noticed that Chris was on the bag for a long while.  I’m not quite sure who he was punching but it appeared they got destroyed. I did the round on the weights and then went upstairs to get a run in.  I looked around to see LaSalle lap me.

Saturday afternoon provided more time for us to talk one on one before getting dressed for the ball.  Chris and I went through ‘the drill’.  I had long decided that I would never learn what all those trumpets meant, the uniforms, the flags and the drinking.  I made sure that we sat with a Marine who also lived in my building so we were guaranteed not to make any fax paus for the evening.  We had a great time dancing the night away with the military band and continued the swaying when we got back to the condo.

I don’t know what he was thinking but I was trying to hold on and make sure that I ended up in my bed alone.  This was too much I thought.  I could not allow myself to fall in love with this man when there was no possibility of a future for us living and working in two different worlds.

Sunday we went to the Wizards game at the Capital One Arena.  They were playing the Pelicans.  I was Golden Warriors fan so I was just watching to enjoy the action not caring who won.  Chris knew half of the players on the New Orleans’ team.  We met up with several guys that I worked with after the game at our favorite hangout.  I was amused at the looks that Chris drew not only from my co-workers but other ‘brothers’ who were in the bar.  By then I realized that it was obvious to anyone who noticed that there was a connection between the two of us.  I became conscious that I had to give up the denial and recognize that Christopher LaSalle had found a special place in to my heart.

We stayed up half of the night just talking.  Chris opened up about his relationship with his father.  He was surprised at how his father spent the last two years of his life and was finally able to realize what his mother saw in him.  Chris explained that with Pride’s help that he found out that his father had diverted funds from the company to insure that his long time employees were taken care of.

Chris had an early morning flight out of Reagan National back to ‘Nola.  He hugged me tightly and assured me that he would be back.  Walking back to my car I found myself wiping away tears.  Gloomy because I kept wondering ‘so what’ and ‘what next?’  This was not what I wanted and I wasn’t sure if I could handle it.


	5. Bewilderment

I left on a mission the next week.  We had worked out a buzz phrase that allowed me to indicate that I would be going off the grid for a while.  As I was flying to Rota, I had to push all thought of LaSalle out of my mind. 

This was going to be a difficult mission.  I never realized how tough until nine days later when I returned with the bodies of two dead team members in the hold of the plane.  I was just stunned to learn that our informant had turn on us and set us up in an ambush.   The hatchet men thought I was a spouse and spared my life after gunning down Frank and Marty.  I went over the strategy over and over again in my head as we flew back to the states.

I called Merrie as soon as I got back.  I cried for a whole hour.  I knew she would tell Chris and sure enough he called ten minutes after I hung up from her.  “I can’t tell you anything Chris” I kept saying.  I was thankful that I had the two of them to lean on though.

Much to my surprise Chris somehow found out about a couple of routine military flights to Joint Andrews Air Force Base from New Orleans.  I ignored the buzzer the first time and drug myself to the door on the second, persistent ring.  Looking through the peep hole I saw my old partner. 

“What?  How?  Why are you here” I asked?  “For you Sonja.  I know you’re scared and hurting.  I want to be here for you.  I have 72 hours to get back on the plane.”

I knew that I looked a wreck.  My eyes were puffy from crying.  I didn’t even bother with the makeup and wore ratty sweat pants and a tee shirt the whole time that he was there.

We watched a lot of movies with me parked in his lap.  Once again we talked about our life experiences.  I had endured two years undercover and had stories that no one but someone else in the business could even understand.  We talked about our hopes and our dreams and our pain and our sorrows.

For the first time Chris opened up about Savannah.  I listened intently and wiped away some of the many tears that fell down his checks.  At one time he looked at me and pulled me so tight that I could hardly breathe.  “Thank you Sonja.  Thank you for listening and thank you for not judging me.” 

“For what Christopher?  That pain is in your heart?  I am glad that I can be here for you.”

The next morning we were at Andrews before the sun came up.  I already knew that I had an overseas mission in late December and saw the sadness in his face when I told him that I could not see him during the holidays.  “We’ll find a time” he said softly as he hugged me once again.

With tears in my eyes I expressed my thanks again.  “Thank you for coming Chris.  I don’t know if I could have gotten through this without you”.  At that he gave me one more intense hug and a hell of a kiss goodbye causing me to cry even harder.


	6. Declarations

Our old partner Merrie Brody was getting married in the February.  The weather can always be iffy in this part of the country that time of the year.  Chris flew out to spend a couple of days with me before we drove to Philly for the wedding.

I picked Chris up at the airport about 5 p.m.  I had ordered dinner and we picked it up on the way back to the condo.  Chris loved Iowa beef and there was a chef who I had heard could make the meat melt like butter.

I had sat a formal table before I left for work that day.  The rooms were filled with candles. “I hope you’re hungry” I said as we arrived at the condo.  “Why don’t we eat sooner than later while the food is still hot and not dried out?”  I had sat our table setting side by side allowing us to better interact after the time that we had been separated.  I knew that Faith Hill was one of Chris’ favorite artists and had picked up several of her CDs and one of her husband’s from the library.  After dinner we danced, laughed and swayed to her music.

Chris seemed reluctant to be aggressive given our past history.  Finally, I handed him his wine glass from the table and picked up the bottle and my own glass and led him to my bedroom.  He was even further surprised when I threw him a box of his favored protection and went into the bathroom to take care of myself.  It was a night that neither of us would soon forget.  Three and a half years of pent up lust came to the surface.

Friday we stayed in bed until just before noon when hunger got the best of Christopher.  I had bought him bacon and eggs so he was in heaven as soon as he saw them in the fridge.

We left about 2 to drive the short distance to Philadelphia.   We found the time for another round in the boudoir before we went to the rehearsal dinner.  It was nice to see Loretta and Sabastian again. 

The next day Merrie walked down the aisle with Pride.  Chris and I walked down together.  My song went well and I was going along fine until I looked over to see Merrie crying.

Merrie had a small band for the reception.  As we danced, Chris whispered in my ear “you know we could try this wedding thing too!”  I looked at him in shock speechless.  “Don’t say a word Sonja.  We can talk about this back at the hotel room.”

Well there was no talking.  I was still in shock as we drove back to the hotel in silence.  I quickly stepped out of my dress and jumped in the shower.  I was lost in another world when I heard Chris pull back the shower curtain.

“Sonja come out!  You will turn into a prune if you stay in there much longer.”

“Did you mean that Country Mouse?”  I asked as I dried myself off back in the bedroom.  

“Yes, Sonja.”

“Did you think about what that would entail?”

“Some.  So much that I stopped to buy this.”  At that he holds up a beautiful engagement ring. 

“So Sonja Percy, now let me ask you properly, will you marry me” he asked on bended knee?

The ring fit perfectly and that night was special as I reminded myself how bad I had always wanted Christopher LaSalle.

We drove back to D.C. the next morning and found more time for intimate moments before I drove Chris to the airport for his red eye return flight to New Orleans.

We were both surprised at how fast we settled our wedding plans.  We knew we wouldn’t have a lot of time together and selfishly decided to keep our marriage ceremony to just the two of us. 

_Christopher_

We chose Copenhagen and spent three fabulous weeks together.  An overseas marriage requires a lot of planning.  Fortunately details were Sonja’s thing.  There were numerous forms that we had to submit.  All of ours were there in the four month buffer period.  The law required us to be in Copenhagen for three days before the ceremony.  The Wedding Office was a busy place and our detailed pre-planning allowed us to be married in the beautiful City Hall.

While our friends and family were disappointed that they would not be able to attend our marriage ceremony, we were able to carve out two weekends before the wedding to visit ‘Nola and Alabama for ‘couple’s showers’.  Sonja’s work buddies gave her a personal shower of which the remnants I was able to appreciate as well on our honeymoon.

The pre-martial counseling was a little more difficult to coordinate.  We managed to get it done.  I can’t even imagine what Sonja went through in her sessions.  Between my dad, Cade and Savannah’s death, I had to add two extra sessions. 

I gathered from Sonja that her sessions were no easier.  Later as the years passed by, she divulged the difficulties of her life particularly the complications with the men in her past.  Those confessions gave me profound insight into who this tough as nails woman was. 

I was glad and sad at the same time to have her confide in me.  Sonja had kept Mary and me at arm’s length for a long time.  I found it odd how the both of us took Tammy into our confidence.  She played a significant role in our finally being together by reminding Sonja that it was possible to be with me and advising me to quit being a woman chaser and finally realize what I could have with Sonja if I worked at gaining her trust and love.


	7. And Baby Makes Three

We had just come off a long stretch of duty.  It was a difficult case.  Sonja was out of the country allowing the time to go even faster and me to have less time to focus that she was all the way on the other side of the world.

Laurel came in just before lunch to see King.  When I went into the kitchen, I found her modeling a dress that she would be wearing at the wedding of one of her high school friends.  King was accommodating saying all the kind words that I had heard come out of my own father’s mouth when talking with my sister.

After Laurel left, I mentioned on how diplomatic that he had been about what I perceived as an ugly dress.  He looked at me and laughed and said “I’m sure your day will come as well”.  What he didn’t see was the smile drop from my face as I turned away from him and walked back to my desk.  Me having a child still seemed to be a distant dream.  I sat down thinking that you have to be with your wife to actually make a baby.

I looked up about an hour later to see a delivery man with a bunch of balloons enter the front door.  “Tammy’s not here I” said off the cuff.  “Well these are for a Christopher LaSalle” he replied just as confused as I was about a bunch of pink balloons.  I sat the balloons down and began to fumble for a tip.  “Don’t worry sir, everything has been settled” and he turned and left the office.

I opened the attached card and found the following words “congratulations daddy, it’s a girl!”  “Oh my God” I exclaimed.  Just then in walks Gregorio and Sebastian.  “I’m going to be a father” I yelled.  “Well it must be a girl from the color of the balloons” Tammy says grinning ear to ear.

When I got home, I found a handwritten letter from Sonja. 

‘My dearest husband.  I am sorry that I could not be there to tell you this news in person, but I wanted you to have this happy moment as soon as possible.  A friend helped me with a special surprise for you that you should have received by now.

Our daughter will arrive in January.  I thought that we would have another year but it appears that your recent surprise visit to meet me in London has turned into a surprise for the both of us.  I will contact you as soon as I land.  I can’t wait to see your smiling face and feel your arms around me once again.  Love, Sonja.’

I was over joyed.  I called momma a couple of days later to let her know where we were implementing our plan to care for our child.  We had long decided that the children would live with me in New Orleans and that we would have a full time nanny.  Momma shot that down real quick and said “I will take care of my grandchild not some stranger!”

A few months’ later Rita flew in to spend a few days with King.  “I thought you might want some help in equipping your nursey.  Loretta and I would like to help if you would let us.”

It was exhausting.  Rita approached the effort as a case file.  She pointed me on line for the furniture so all we had to do was agree of the pieces.  Actually it was pretty much Sonja directing me on what to select.  It took me a week to finally get the bed together and even then I had to solicit assistance from King.

I was glad that the women were around because I would have bought every pink thing in the world.  They helped us understand that we want most of the clothing and blankets to be unisex colors so they could be reused for the future children.

Mary and her husband drove down to help set up the baby’s room in D.C.  The room was big enough to hold both a twin sized bed and the crib so that momma could stay comfortably in the room as well.

Sonja returned to New Orleans to give birth to our daughter surrounded by old friends and her own ‘personal doctor’, Loretta Wade.  Now that she was married to me, she totally let down her guard about many issues in life.  Sonja was scared about the whole birthing thing.  I was glad that Loretta and Tammy were here to be with her.  Her sister flew out a few days before the birth but like the other two women, she had never given birth either. 

The wife of one of my old partners kind of inserted herself into the situation.  I could see that her presence brought great comfort to my wife.  Her old aerobics teacher was also around and helped her with the exercises identified in the birthing classes.  I was no help and was quite upfront about the fact that I was just as scared as Sonja.

Later I heard a number of complaints from other women that the whole birth process that only lasted six hours for my wife was unfair.  She was in excellent physical health and as her mother said had those ‘Williams women hips’ helping the baby to enter into the world just a little more easily.

We named the baby Catherine after one of Sonja’s team members from her undercover days.  Catherine was shot down during a drug bust while Sonja took a few days to go to D.C. for a coordination meeting with the Coast Guard.  It was another of those things that haunted Sonja during the initial time period that Brody and I first met her.  Sonja thought things might have gone differently had she been there that day.

Sonja settled in for four months as the ultimate mother.  I was able to take an entire month off and then worked as needed for the next two.  Momma had flown in and prepared a freezer full of food intended to last me until she returned two months later.  She was unaware that we had our own personal chef named Duane Pride.  I had to add a mile a day of running to offset the rich food prepared by him.

Sonja, momma and the baby flew back to D. C. until Sonja’s first assignment overseas.  I had recorded a number of oral letters to my daughter.  Momma and Sonja would hang the device outside of Catherine’s crib and watch her expressions as she heard my voice.  One of my favorite activities had been talking to Sonja’s belly the ninth month of her pregnancy so she knew my voice.  I video chatted with Sonja and Catherine every opportunity that I could.

Sonja had taken one of my sweaty workout shirts with her at momma’s suggestions leading me to once again appreciate one of those’ old wives tales’ things.  Momma cut it up and would periodically replace one patch with another.  I did not recognize why until momma and Catherine returned three months later.  The air pressure had given the baby fits.  I took the crying child from momma and witnessed the calming effect of her being in my arms as I rocked her back and forth.  She knew my voice from our daily chats and recordings and my smell from the patches that were placed near her head in the crib. 

Momma flew out to D.C. periodically.  Catherine and I flew out for our first family Christmas and Mother’s Day.   Our family time was precious.  The departures were often gut wrenching particularly after Cate’s first birthday when we realized that she was quite aware of just who Sonja was to her.  She did not want to leave her mother again after a short reunion and it broke my heart time after time.

Of course her first words were dada and daddy even though I encouraged her with mama.  That came later.  Catherine seemed to grow each day.  I began to marvel how much she looked like her mother which only made me miss her more.  Sonja’s mother sent me a picture of Sonja’s first birthday party and it was just amazing how much she looked like Sonja.

I was thankful to have ‘Auntie Loretta’ to help us with Catherine’s very ethnic hair.  Momma caught on just fine.  Me, not so much.  I knew the basic information about the hair care products but braiding would never become a skill that I would master.

We had birthday parties both in D.C. and ‘Nola.  Sonja cried through both of them.  Walking came next and then the talking.  As we approached terrible twos, I found my determination waning.  This little girl had the same strong will as her mother and challenged me every day.  Well, not just me, but momma as well.  I was glad that momma was there to clue me in on what was going on.  Having survived it with three children, she was able to give us many positive pointers to help Catherine grow as a human being.

Allowing her to ‘choose’ between two shirts or dresses permitted her to ‘be in control’.  The same choices with books and CDs worked just as well.  I began speaking French to her about six months later.  I was really surprised how well she picked it up.  Tammy said that it shouldn’t surprise me informing me that little girls who were destined to be royal brides in the medieval days often grew up learning at least three languages including Latin.  One of the tongue of her intended and often a fourth, the language of their birth mother who was usually a foreign bride herself.

Time seemed to pass quicker now with the little person in the household.  I missed Sonja so much and sometimes had to make myself be ‘civil’ in my daily life.  I had become acquainted with a couple of men and women who were married to active duty service members.  Their own experiences separated from their mates helped me to better accept the distance.  Filling in the time with my daughter and a busier than usual work schedule helped the time to pass as well.

 


	8. The Saddest Day

It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon when the call came through.  It was Isler.  I wondered why in the world he would be calling me.

“I’m sorry to call Agent LaSalle but there has been an accident at your wife’s building.  Evidentially her car was hit by an armored vehicle coming out of the back entrance of the adjoining bank.  I am at the hospital now but they will only tell me limited information in spite of me flashing my badge around.   I know she is alive.  She took a bad hit to the head and has a broken left arm.”

“Here is the telephone number for the team at Sonja’s office.  They are available to assist you in getting out here tonight.”

It indeed was bad.  Sonja was out of surgery by the time that I had gotten to Dulles.  We were so fortune that there were several Navy Reserve officers in town for a training conference.  One was a bone specialist at Mayo and the second a neuro-surgeon from Miami.

She looked so tiny in that big bed with all the machines around her beeping and flashing.  The Director met me at the hospital and sat with me until I was able to go into intensive care.  His staff had arranged for quarters for me at Fort Mead.  I didn’t stay there often, but it was nice to be able to go back for a quick shower or nap. 

The hours turned into days and then to a month.  The doctors were stymied that she was still unconscious.  We have seen this before the doctors explained.  I was both relieved and dismayed when we finally were told what might have happened to Sonja.   The medical team explained she was in a coma.   Someone who is in a coma is unconscious and has minimal brain activity. They're alive but can't be woken up and show no signs of awareness.

The person's eyes will be closed and they'll appear to be unresponsive to their environment. They won't normally respond to sound or pain, or be able to communicate or move voluntarily, and basic reflexes, such as coughing and swallowing, will be greatly reduced. They may be able to breathe on their own, although some people require a machine to help them breathe.

Over time, the person may start to gradually regain consciousness and become more aware. Some people will wake up after a few weeks, while others may go into a vegetative or minimally conscious state.

A coma usually only lasts a few weeks, during which time the person may start to gradually wake up and gain consciousness, or progress into a different state of unconsciousness called a vegetative state or minimally conscious state.

Some people may recover from these states gradually, while others may not improve for years, if at all.  People who do wake up from a coma usually come round gradually. They may be very agitated and confused to begin with.

Some people will make a full recovery and be completely unaffected by the coma. Others will have disabilities caused by the damage to their brain. They may need physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychological assessment and support during a period of rehabilitation, and may need care for the rest of their lives.

In the short term, a person in a coma will normally be looked after in an intensive care unit (ICU). Treatment involves ensuring their condition is stable and body functions, such as breathing and blood pressure, are supported while the underlying cause is treated.

Eventually Sonja was moved down the street to long term, healthcare where she was given supportive treatment.  Her treatment involved providing nutrition, trying to prevent infections, moving her regularly so she didn’t develop bedsores and gently exercising their joints to stop them becoming tight.

I learned that the chances of someone recovering from a coma largely depend on the severity and cause of their brain injury, their age and how long they've been in a coma. But it's impossible to accurately predict whether the person will eventually recover,

I talked to treatment specialist until I lost my voice.   Some days I thought I would lose my mind.  Fortunately I had Merrie to lean on. Once Sonja was settled in the health center I returned to New Orleans.  Work was challenging but I was fortunate to have the support of the team during the really bad days.  Home was more challenging.  Catherine was use to either talking to her mother or having me play an oral message from her.  After the first week that I returned, she would bring me a photo with Sonja in it and in her limited language ask where her mommy was.  Every encounter grew more difficult as the days and then the weeks passed by.

I had just got to my desk one day when I got a call from the care facility.  “Mr. LaSalle?” The social worker asked. 

“Yes, this is Chris LaSalle”

“This is Margaret Johnson from the care facility in DC.  I just left your wife’s room.  The LPN was giving her a bath this morning and she just woke up.  We are waiting for the house doctor to come by and write orders for us to move her back to the hospital.  We will call you in a couple of hours when we have the room and telephone number.

I made travel arrangements and then delayed them when the doctor called later that day.  “Well Mr. LaSalle, I would suggest that you wait a week to fly out.  It appears that your wife has lost her memory.  We would like to work with her for a week.  The social worker will be sending you a list of items to bring to the hospital to help us with her treatment.  She will also probably be contacting some of Sonja’s current and former office workers to get an idea of just who Sonja LaSalle is.  That information will help the psychiatrist develop a treatment plan for her.  He will want to spend a couple of hours with you once you are in D.C.”

“I’m very optimistic Mr. LaSalle.  Just the fact that she is awake gives us hope that she will be able to recover and live a fulfilling life.”


	9. The Homecoming

“Are you okay Sonja?”

“Yes, this is a busy place isn’t it? 

“Yes.  New Orleans is a big, fast moving city.  Here, let me get the door for you.  Would you like to look around the house or do you want me to come with you?”

“I think that I would like you to show me around and then I’ll go by myself later Christopher”

“Well, this is the front room.” 

“Is this from our wedding?” Sonja asked as she picks up a photo off the mantle.

“Yes.”

“Where is this?” 

“Copenhagen.  That’s in Denmark.”

“The dining room and kitchen are through that hall.”

“This is my, our bedroom.”

“You have so many photos of me in here.  This bed spread is pretty.” 

“It’s purple, your favorite color.  It was a wedding present from Ms. Loretta.  We were happy Sonja.  We have known each other for eight years and spent two whole years as partners seeing each other at least five days a week.  We were married for five more years and spoke almost every day in one medium or another.  Our friend Tammy described you as my ‘perfect match’.”

“This is one of the guest rooms that my mother is using.”

“This is Catherine’s room.”

“Why are the pictures down there?”

“So she can see them at her eye level.”

“That’s me holding her isn’t it?”

“Yes” I say as we look of a photo of Catherine when she is three days old.

“We looked so happy.”

“Yes.  We were very happy.  Catherine loves being with you.”

“Where is she?”  She asked looking around.

“She and momma are in Alabama.  They will be back on Wednesday.  I thought you might want some time to get a lay of the land in the house before you see Cate.”

“And this is our other guest room.  I had put your stuff in storage here in New Orleans and retrieved a few that I had seen in the photos of your condo.  I hope this makes you feel a little more comfortable.” 

“I’m sleeping here?”

“Sonja, we talked about that in your counseling sessions.  We decided that you would have your own room until or if you wanted to come back to my bedroom.  It’s up to you.  I will not pressure you either way.  I would like nothing more than to wake up to your smile each morning in my bed.

“Hey, I am going to need to go grocery shopping.  Would you like to come with me or lie down and take a nap?”

“I think I want to come with you.”

“All right.  Let’s get going before the rush hour.”

An hour later.

We had just walked in when there was a knock at the front door.  It was King. “I thought you might be tired from your flight so I brought you two of your favorite dishes.  Hello Sonja.  How are you?” King inquired

“A little tired” Sonja responds.

“Well you two have a good evening” he says as walks back toward the door.

We talked about an hour after eating when I saw Sonja stifling a yawn.  “Let’s call it a day” I say. “I’m sure we are both tired”

“Chris.  Do you mind if I hugged you before I go to bed?”

“No, Sonja.”

“Thank you” she says quietly.

“For what?”

“For wanting me.”

“What do you mean Sonja?  I love you.  I want you here with me and our daughter.”

“It’s so confusing” she says as she starts to cry. “You have been so kind.  I see all the photos and it’s obvious that there was a connection between you and me and me and our daughter.  I just can’t remember.  But at least I know one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You are a kind man.  Good night Christopher” she says as she reaches up to kiss me on the cheek then wraps her arms around my waist.

Now it’s me that can hardly hold back the tears.  I have wondered for months if my love would ever return to us and there she is.

I could see Sonja becoming more relaxed during the next two days.  I tried to play music by some of her favorite musicians while we were in the house and the car. I had gotten all of our photograph albums out and left them in various rooms of our home at the suggestion of the therapist. 

We took a walk around the block every day.  Tuesday I drove past Gallier Hall the original City Hall where Sonja admired the beautiful Greek Revival architecture.  It was indeed a beautiful historic building and I was happy that Sonja recognized that fact.

Tammy went to the airport on Wednesday afternoon to pick up momma and Catherine.  I knew momma would be overloaded with a car seat and little one.  Cate ran through the back door and quickly found me.  “Daddy, daddy.”  I deciphered that she was telling me that she missed me.  Then she showed me her airplane pilot wings and coloring book from the plane.

“Catherine.  Do you know who this is?” I say as I point to Sonja.

Our daughter looked bashfully on as I moved over to the sofa with Sonja.

“Hello Catherine” Sonja says softly.

Shyly looking at Sonja her stare became more fixed.

I began to sing one of their songs hoping that Sonja might be able to remember a few words.  Again to my surprise she sang most of the words.  I watched as a broad smile came over Catherine’s face and then she quietly started to sing the song.  Catherine walked over and got into my lap while still looking at Sonja. 

“Catherine do you remember who this is?”  She nodded yes.  “It’s your mommy Catherine.  She has been away for a long time.  She loves you.  She missed us a whole lot.”

“Well let’s go put your things away in your room and mommy will come with us”. Sonja sat down in the rocker in Catherine’s room.  I took her baby doll out of the suitcase and handed it to her.  Cate walked over to Sonja to show her the doll.

“What’s your dolly’s name Sonja asked her?

“Mary Jane” Cate responded.

“That’s a pretty name for a pretty doll.”

I walked down the hall for a moment and when I returned to the room, Cate was sitting in her mother’s lap while Sonja was rocking the chair and singing their song together.  I had to step out.  Momma asked me what was wrong as I wiped the tears from my eyes.  I said “go look yourself”.  She quickly returned with tears in her own eyes.

After dinner Sonja and I put our daughter to bed.  “Good night my sweet princess” she said.  We walked back to the front room. 

“Sonja, why did you say that?”  I asked with surprise in my voice.

“Say what?”

“You remembered that you called her ‘sweet princess’?” 

“I don’t know, I just said it.”

I held it together but I was so relieved to see that my Sonja was continuing to return to us day by day.

The first month passed by quickly.  I came home one day the first week to find Sonja and Catherine in bed together at nap time.  I stood watching them for a long time grateful that love once again was overcoming the difficulty in our lives. 

Sonja seemed to remember the team the first day I took her and Cate by the office.  She lingered at her old desk looking like she had a question that she couldn’t quite remember.

Tammy had a photo of us all on her desk.  Sonja picked it up and smiled and sat it down looking deeply into Tammy’s face.  Tammy spoke up telling her how much she missed talking with her and that she was glad to see her.

Knowing that we would be stopping by, Ms. Loretta found her way to the office.  She was the first non-family member that Sonja allowed to hug her since her return to ‘Nola.  Ms. Loretta had been a role model and comfort to Sonja during her time at NCIS and helped reassure her during the time that she carried Catherine.  I had to be honest with myself that I was both taken aback and relieved at the site of them embracing.


	10. The Long Road Back

“Look Mrs. LaSalle, I can’t begin to imagine what is going through your mind and your heart.  I can make arrangements for you to go into isolation for a while if you wish.  I don’t want you to be so overwhelmed that it causes more mental anguish or physical issues.”

“I don’t know Doctor.  There’s just so much going on around me.  Even when they aren’t pushing me I can see it in their face or hear in their voice that they want me to remember them so badly.  It’s too much.” 

“I know that my husband loves me but I see he pain in his face as I continually ask about this or that.  I looked through a photo book of the first week of my daughter’s life and remembered nothing.  Her father looks ecstatic in the photos.  Heck, I look like I won the lottery but I don’t remember anything about the photos or really the people in them.”

“All right then, I will arrange for you to be admitted to a clinic up in Baton Rouge and restrict your visitors.  Why don’t we say a month and if you want to return earlier, I will sign the paperwork.”

Of course Catherine did not understand why her mommy was going away again.  I had to believe that Chris and Mother LaSalle could help her through it.  I just knew that I needed to get away.

True to his word the doctor effectively explained to my husband why I need to go into the clinic.  Chris accepted it at face value never suspecting that it was at my request to leave them.

The first week was spent with a lot of interaction with a physiatrist and a social worker.  They had asked me to bring a group of photos.

The team was able to help me the most by providing me some coping mechanism.  By the end of the third week I felt ready to go back to New Orleans and work once again with the memory recovery.

The team also spent a weekend with Chris better equipping him to assist me.  While he had been very protective of me both at the hospital in D.C. and when I came back home, the team realized that they could have helped him better in realizing the depth of my loss.

I immediately noticed a change and felt more comfortable.  It did not take a rocket scientist to realize what a kind man this Christopher LaSalle was.  He would call me every day on his lunchbreak, bring me beautiful flowers, sing to me and love me and our daughter.  I would look at the photos of our wedding and honeymoon and could see the love in his face. I wanted to remember it all so badly but there was still a void in that life experience.

It was interesting to me how smells seemed to trigger significant events.  One afternoon Chris brought in a meal that Pride had dropped off while I was in the shower.  He said it was one of my favorite dishes.  As I tasted the dishes, I could see some people sitting around a counter somewhere.  I recognized Merrie Brody but the others including Chris remained unfamiliar to me but I knew somehow that I did know them.  It was the bits and pieces of memories that distressed me.  I had returned from Baton Rouge with the commitment to persevere on and so I did.


	11. It's All About Love

I was looking forward to the short day at work.  The team was going on a week-long break.  I would have time to focus totally on Sonja and Catherine once again.

The first thing I noticed when I got home was that momma’s car was in the garage.  Odd for that time of the day I thought.  The second thing that I noticed was that it was quiet.  No little person, no radio, actually no one.  Strange I thought as I moved through the house and entered my bedroom. 

I glanced over to the nightstand on my side of the bed and noticed a vase of yellow roses and Alabama camellia and a small gift wrapped box.  Yellow roses are Sonja’s favorite flower.  I picked up the box and tore off the card with Sonja’s handwriting that simply said “I remember”.  I opened the package to find a box of my favored condoms of years gone by.  What?  I thought.

I looked up to see Sonja in the door way attired in a nightgown that I remembered from our honeymoon.  As I looked at her in wonder she starts talking.  “I remember Chris.  I remember wearing this gown.  I remember our honeymoon and the beautiful old building where we got married.  I remember how much I loved you. Now I want to remember how much I loved you making love to me. I went to the doctor this morning and she inserted an IUD but wants us to be careful for a month to make sure it stays in place.

I could hardly believe it.  I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.  The love of my life has finally been able to come back.  It was sweet joy to have my wife back into my bed.  Momma had left dinner for us and along with a note that she and Cate were staying overnight with Ms. Loretta.

Waking up the next morning, I sat up with a start wondering if I had dreamed the night before.  But no, there was the most beautiful woman in the world lying next to me in bed.

Sonja continued to remember more each day, sometimes hour by hour.  I noticed that our mirrored speech was returning.  Her phone calls with Merrie became more enjoyable as they talked about events from their own history.  She quizzed Tammy about her ex and recounted some of the many conversations that they had shared together at their condo.

Her rehab included riding around the city and relearning the landmarks.  However, I did become concerned about her continued presence and safety in New Orleans where she had apprehended so many bad guys.  That led to my decision to relocate our family to the Southeast Field office.  I landed at the NCISRU office in Memphis.  I loved living in another ‘old city’.

We bought a home in Germantown, a wonderful master planned community.  A year after we relocated, we decided to have a second child.  Our son, Christopher Michael King LaSalle. was born much to Sonja’s discomfort. The doctors had readied an operating room to do a C-section when suddenly he turned and his shoulder appeared.  A quick episiotomy allowed his head to follow.  By then Sonja’s sometimes prickly personality had reappeared and she was more than pissed at having to be sewed up and endure the discomfort for several weeks.  Daddy wasn’t too happy either at the recovery time which delayed the renewal of our intimacy.

Sonja still did not remember the early care of Cate so she chose to breast feed CJ and in my opinion over did the mothering thing.  To her dismay, my son was just that ‘my son’. Once he could walk there was rarely any distance between the two of us when I was in the house.  He tried everything that dad did.  I had to be careful at showing him new things because we never knew when he would try them on his own. 

He did realize however, that his mother was physically fit nut.  It was Sonja who ran him through his sprints and distances for football.  Even the coaches marveled at her ability to keep up with the boys throughout his time in organized sports.  Sonja was still a looker at 45.  CJ teammates often mistook her for an older sister or auntie.  More than once an angry Chris came home from practice where a new kid had made a comment about the ‘pretty’ assistant coach.

Catherine became a fierce soccer player making all conference both her junior and senior year.  She headed off to Duke and never looked back.  Sonja thought she spent too much time in the books but Cate wanted to be a doctor.  She learned about the U.S. Army Medicine Civilian Corps at a job fair her first year at Duke.  Working for the Corps allowed her to be in a military hospital without having to enlist in the Army.  Her last two years of undergrad work and medical school were paid for.  Accepted into the Duke medical school, she looked forward to a semester abroad in China.

The time soon came for CJ to head off to college as well.  He didn’t venture too far attending Alabama to my eternal bliss.  He continued his success in the classroom graduating with honors and headed off to Stanford for his graduate work.  He stuck with football for two years but with continued success of the team found that his skill level regulated him to third string.  While in high school and while on break from college he often met me at the police gym where we would run our distances side by side.  He was still ‘my boy’ and I enjoyed the relationship that we were able to maintain long after my retirement.

CJ had returned to teach at the University of Alabama.  He turned down several opportunities to move into management not willing to give up the interaction with his students.  His first year on staff he met one of the assistant basketball coaches and married her after a whirlwind courtship.  It took forever for them to give me a grandchild which I remarked about at every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal.

Catherine ended up on staff at Fort Campbell in Kentucky.  She married a lawyer who worked for the State of Kentucky.  The short distance allowed us frequently to visit especially after our first grandchild finally arrived.

By the time that the children left, Sonja expanded her vegan lifestyle into growing most of her own food.  She worked with a local food bank to plant gardens throughout neighborhoods across the city.  Working with Tuskegee University, the growing program offered undergraduate internships in urban gardening.


	12. Riding Into The Sunset

Another year had passed and the time had come for us to celebrate another benchmark year of marriage.  I’m not sure how my husband became more charming each year we were together but he did.  Merrie continued to evoke the dedication, love, sorrow and worry that Chris had spent during my injury and recovery.  I could read books about men like him but I knew that I was abundantly blessed for having such a compassionate and loving husband.

I only told Tammy and Christopher that if I could only remember one person, I was glad that it was Chris.  I thought others would say it should be Catherine but as my memory returned the more I was able to remember the many times that Chris had saved my life or made me laugh.

Catherine and Tammy helped nurture my heart reuniting with Chris.

Tammy had photos that I had long forgotten about that included Chris and I as partners, adversaries in sports, card games and drinking at Pride’s bar.  She could fill in the blanks about how I came to love Christopher LaSalle and both the fun and challenging times that we all shared as a team.

Catherine always wanted us together whether it was pushing her on the swing, giving her bath or reading a book.  She would often come and get me and take me by the hand to the master bedroom wanting the three of us to lie in bed together or sit on the sofa or on the porch swing.  Of course it did not take me long to feel love for my little girl again.  I could sense that Chris was not only a nice man but that he deeply cared for me.  There were many days that I saw the pain in his face when he carried a sleeping Catherine to her own bedroom only to have me say good night to him as I walked toward mine.

So it was a joyous day when I went into his room for some shampoo and picked up a bottle of his cologne and smelled it.  Right then and there it was like something smacked me in the face.  Flash!  I could see us setting in his truck.  Then I saw the City building in Copenhagen where we were married.  I sat down on the bed and remembered more and more and more.  I heard Catherine calling ‘mommy’ and went to see what she needed.  She wanted some milk.  As I poured it for her, I could see Chris sitting at a counter eating crawfish.  I realized that it was the office we shared with Tammy and Pride.

I must have been crying when Mother LaSalle came into the kitchen.  “Cate” she says “why don’t you go find your baby doll?”

“What’s wrong Sonja”” she asked? 

“Oh nothing’s wrong, I remember Marie.  I remember Christopher.  I remember meeting him and falling in love with him and wanting him and leaving him and marrying him.”

I got up and went into the study to call my doctor.  She had an early morning appointment available.  I told her what had happen and we discussed intimacy.  “If you remember Sonja, I’m not going to stop you from being intimate with your husband.  I don’t want you become pregnant yet so we need to decide on a birth control method for you.” 

With all that settled, I hurried home to day dream about Christopher’s return home that night.  I had the driver stop at the drug store real quick to take care of Chris’ items and then went to tell my plan to Marie.

One night while lying in bed wrapped in Christopher’s arms I proposed that we have a remarriage ceremony.  Inside my own heart I wanted to recommit myself to Chris while at the same time recognize how he had stood by me through the most difficult time of my life. 

The second wedding was a more than a success.  This time we were surrounded by the many friends and family members who loved us and stood by us for the decade of our own friendship and courtship.

Merrie and my sisters stood by me as Pride, Tammy and Chris’ old partner stood by him.  While Catherine admirably did her duty as the flower girl, she spent most of the time in the chapel wrapped around her father’s legs not quite understanding just what was going on. 

We took the rest of the weekend as a family spending time at the Butler Greenwood Plantation.  Having a private cottage allowed us to keep Catherine with us and not bother the other guest.  Catherine and daddy spent a lot of time swinging together on the porch swing and eating daddy’s cooking.  Chris was able to get out on the water for a couple of hours doing what he loved the most, fishing.

Years later we decided to go back to New Orleans to celebrate a special anniversary at a jazz club down in the old city.  I had a surprise for Christopher.

We had reservations and shortly after we had finished our dinner, the live band came back on stage.  The band leader got up to make an announcement.  We’re very happy tonight to wish a twentieth anniversary to a very special couple Christopher and Sonja LaSalle.  We want to invite Mrs. LaSalle to join us here on stage to sing their special song.   I couldn’t believe that I had pulled off the surprise.  At that the band plays the old Johnny Mathis hit ‘Until the Twelfth of Never.’

I sang the words lovingly to my dearest Christopher.

_You ask me how much I need you, must I explain?_  
I need you, oh my darling, like roses need rain  
You ask how long I'll love you, I'll tell you true  
Until the Twelfth of Never, I'll still be loving you

_Hold me close, never let me go  
Hold me close, melt my heart like April snow_

_I'll love you 'til the bluebells forget to bloom_  
I'll love you 'til the clover has lost its perfume  
I'll love you 'til the poets run out of rhyme  
Until the Twelfth of Never and that's a long, long time

_Until the Twelfth of Never and that's a long, long time_

We had been through so much.  I will always be eternally grateful that I remembered how much we loved each other.

Our lives moved on as we welcomed two more grandchildren and buried several loved ones.  First mother LaSalle then Isler.  Loretta and King died within days of each other.  My old partner Jake Roman was shot in a courtroom while escorting a prisoner. 

Our old team had long split a part.  Triple P retired from working with the CIA and Tammy from NCIS.  Brody and her husband moved to Naples to work for the U.N.  We received holiday notes from Loretta’s Danny and CJ each year.  Laurel called Chris often to check up on him as her unofficial uncle.

Every once in a while I will come across a photo of a place or face that I don’t recognize.  Loretta had taken great care to visit with my family and D.C. friends when they came to visit during the two years that I was back in ‘Nola and noted who they were or where the photo was taken.  The skill that she and the’ Nerdy one’ had trained for in their precise field was used in love to document my forgotten moments.  The results blessed me and could never be counted in the joy that they brought me.

I look forward to many more precious days with the world’s most wonderful husband. “Hey Butch, what’s up” I say as I look up and witness that classic LaSalle smile.


End file.
